Miscellaneous

In shariah is there any restriction in buying big houses?

Q: My father is a doctor and he has retired from govt job and now he got some money so we have plan to get a new house as we live in a rented house. We can accommodate in 10 marla house but we have plan to get 1 KANAL house for more luxury so according to shariah is there any restriction in buying big houses as i heard in a hadees its theme was like "Worst money is that which is spent in construction" and on another occasion our PROPHET did not liked the construction of a SAHABI and  afterwards that Sahabi demolished that construction. So can we build luxury houses to live in?

Family planning

Q: Is it true that to do family planning due to fear of shortage of money, food etc. is Haraam and a major sin? Also please tell me the conditions in which one can do family planning.

When would it become incumbent on us to actively participate in physical jihad?

Q: Please can you assist me in understanding the ruling of jihad in todays age (where we are without a caliphate) and when it would become incumbent on us to actively participate in physical jihad? I ask because I am feeling increasingly helpless when I look at the atrocities that our brothers and sisters are enduring in so many parts of the world - e.g. Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, etc. I do realise that we can make duaa to Allah (subhanahuwataála), that He ease the affairs of our brothers and sisters, and that we can make donations and offer aid in relief work. However, are we not expected to do more, by way of uniting in physical jihad - e.g. in Palestine? At which point would this become obligatory for us? Are we waiting to unite under one caliphate before doing so? Please assist me insha Allah. I have tried understanding this issue for some time now. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find the sunni fiqh of jihad in todays age. I think that there are many people in confusion, and so they turn to less reputable on-line sources to understand their role in jihad better.

Contraceptives

Q: We plan on going for Haj this year Insha Allah. Is it permissible for my wife to use contraceptives to avoid falling pregnant. We have been accredited.

Viewing pictures of animate objects

Q: Whilst the impermissibility of picture-making is known, whether it be digital or not, what is the ruling on looking at such pictures which are not of a haraam nature, for example looking at the picture of a man or a dog, etc. Many a times a person doesn't create pictures himself, but e-mails, etc are forwarded to him with pictures, if he looks at it, is it Haraam/Makrooh/Khilaaf-e-Awlaa or nothing wrong with looking?